Disclaimer: I do not own the characters they belong to the wonderful people of Lost Girl, Showcase, Prodigy, et al.

The obtrusive sound of her phone going off woke Lauren up and as she burrowed further into her blankets she groaned. She eventually reached for the device, which was on her nightstand, and with her eyes still closed she tapped at the screen until call picked up. Right away she regretted answering the call because as soon as it had connected Dyson hollered in her ear, "Where the fuck are you and where is my product?"

Lauren squeezed her eyes together before groaning, "Dyson go fuck yourself." Then she hung up the phone. She tossed the phone on the empty spot next to her then cuddled up to the pillow that she had been holding and tried to go back to sleep. She was able to go back to sleep but minutes later her phone began to ring again and Lauren grumbled, "I'm just going to fucking kill him." She felt around for the phone and she was able to find the annoying device. When she had it up to her ear she threatened, "Dyson if you don't leave me the fuck alone I'm going to have both of your kneecaps shattered." Lauren heard a female voice start to stammer on the other end and her eyebrows furrowed in confusion so she opened her eyes to look at the phone. When she recognised who it was that was calling her she muttered, "Oh shit." She put the phone back to her ear, "I'm so sorry Kay I thought you were someone else."

The younger woman chuckled and remarked, "Whoever this Dyson person is he must have really pissed you off if you to want to shatter his kneecaps."

Lauren grimaced then told her assistant, "You really have no idea." She sat up in bed then rested back against the headboard, "What do I owe the pleasure?"

Kay let out a small laugh then asked, "Where are you? You're usually here by seven."

"I'm out of the city. Did I forget about an appointment?" Lauren inquired as she looked around the massive room and thought about her schedule. Dealing with Dyson and tormenting Bo had made her forget about the day-to-day activities she still had to handle.

Kay was quick to answer, "No Dr. Lewis. You don't have an appointment until eleven." She paused for a moment then continued, "But you might have to postpone it because the committee has requested an emergency meeting. There is a company looking to develop in the same neighbourhood that the hospital is in." Kay chuckled, "The CEO was informed to get in touch with the committee if they wanted help swaying the zoning commission." Lauren began to laugh. She hadn't been expecting to see Bo this soon nor did she expect to see her in this capacity. But then again Lauren should have known that their paths would have crossed eventually. She was the head of the committee whose primary focus was the wellbeing of the city's residents as well as researching the business that wanted to work within the city. It was a cover to monitor any potential threats to the organisation. Kay let out an uneasy chuckle then said, "I'm missing the funny point here."

Lauren caught her breath then told Kay, "I just remembered something." She took a deep breath then asked, "What's the business and who is the CEO?" Kay told her the information even though she knew a lot of it already. Once her assistant finished relaying the minor details about Bo and her business Lauren told her, "Hm should be an interesting meeting." She took a moment to think about how she was going to handle this new development considering she already had some history with Bo. "Have the committee convene this morning at ten and be sure to invite Ms. Dennis to it. Then move my appointment to before lunch because I should be out of the meeting by then." Lauren then wondered, "Is there anything I'm missing?"

Her assistant was silent a moment then told her, "Oh You have two meetings with the FDA then you have a few staff meetings but the rest of your day is dedicated to your research." Lauren went to go say something but Kay added in, "Oh and a package came in for you today. Looks like a proposal."

Lauren had an idea of what was in the package and she couldn't wait to look at. The package meant that Mitch had been able to dig up something about Bo and her company and after their brief evening together she was hoping the material would be well worth the read. Lauren stared up at the ceiling as she thought about her normal schedule. Between her developing plan to overthrow Dyson and her plan in regards to Bo something was going to have give at some point. But for today she would continue to do business as usual. As Lauren got out of bed she told Kay, "Sounds good. I should be in the office in an hour."

Kay told her okay and after saying goodbye the call disconnected. Lauren walked into the bathroom and began to prepare for her shower. Her current hideout was a house that was located in an undeveloped suburb that was an hour outside of the city. The house had been purchased by her father as a safe house and it had been kept well hidden from the organisation. It was the place she would come to when she needed an escape from the city but now she was there hiding from Dyson. Lauren was going to bide her time as her plan came together. It was a plan that was going to make Dyson suffer as well as getting rid of the hold that he had on the organisation and the city. But before she would be able to make any power moves against him Lauren was going to have to create a drastic display which would declare war with her cousin and let him know that his days as head of the organisation were numbered. Lauren began to wash with a smile on her face as a vivid plot began to form in her mind.

Bo was sitting at the table eating her breakfast while she looked at several documents that were from her legal team. The documents were about the property that she was hoping to make the East coast headquarters of her company. She was also looking at several projects that appeared to be very profitable for her. But neither the documents nor the project analysis were able to hold her attention for long. Bo leaned back in her chair as her mind began to wander, like it had many times since she woke up, to Lauren. She had tried calling Lauren several times after she had left but the blonde didn't answer any of her calls which had frustrated her even more. Bo was on the brink of hiring someone to track Lauren down but she decided that business came first and told herself to forget about the irritating woman. Bo was about to make a call to the head of her legal team to find out who she had to motivate so she could go back west coast and forget about the blonde that plagued her thoughts when Kenzi walked into the suite demanding, "Who did you see last night?"

Bo set her phone down on the table then took a bite of her eggs before telling Kenzi, "That's none of your business."

Kenzi sat down in the chair next to Bo and scoffed, "It is my business when I had to do everything possible to get you a million in cash." She gave Bo a pointed look, "And according to hotel security you had a visitor last night that looked like a high-end hooker."

Bo put down her fork then wiped her mouth before she leaned back in her chair and looked at Kenzi with a grin on her face, "Worried about me again Kenz?"

The dark haired woman rolled her eyes in annoyance and remarked, "I'm not worried about you. I'm worried about the company." She then stated, "Your behaviour isn't one that is very becoming of a CEO and if you continue to behave in a manner that tarnishes the reputation of this company I will report you to several federal agencies."

"For what?" Bo asked her eyebrow arching up in curiosity. Her business along with the choices that she had made regarding her business had adhered to federal regulations so there was nothing to report. She of course was omitting the few personal transactions that she had used company funds for but those had been paid back and had no effect on how her business operated.

Kenzi's pinned Bo down with a piercing gaze as she threatened, "I'm certain there is some dirt I can uncover that will make your little tech company look less than stellar."

Bo wasn't fazed by the look or the threat and she leaned forward in her chair smiling, "Go ahead and try Kenzi but I'm certain your spectacular background will raise more suspicion than my lawyers forgetting to file a few important documents." She then warned, "I would really watch who you're threatening." Bo sat back in her seat then asked, "What's on my agenda today? And if you say meeting with those assholes down at city hall then I'm going to fire your ass."

Kenzi glared at her for a moment then she looked at her phone and after a few taps to the screen she told Bo, "You are not meeting with any members from city hall. I've talked to some people and they told me about a committee that could help you with the zoning commission." She looked up at Bo with a smile on her face, "I reached out to them and they have agreed to meet with us today. According to some people this committee has a major hand in what projects get approved or denied by the zoning and planning commission."

Bo narrowed her eyes at her assistant, "I didn't ask you to do that."

"I know you didn't but you have no connections here Bo." Kenzi pointed out before arguing, "And if this committee is as influential as I've been told then I don't see any harm in meeting with them."

Bo got a contemplative look on her face as she looked at her assistant. Kenzi had overstepped the boundaries of her position and she would deal with that later but now she had to figure out if she wanted to meet with this committee. She had built or bought buildings in several different cities and countries and she had never dealt with any special interest committees directly. Typically the local government would raise concern from various interests groups or politicians but she would never see them or the politicians. But if this one had the power to sway the commission then she would meet with them just to get the hell out of the city. Bo picked up the butter knife that was lying on the table and as she tapped the bottom of it on the glass table top she asked, "And who is on this committee?"

Kenzi did something on her phone then told Bo, "It seems to be a committee that is comprised of business owners, politicians, and a healthcare provider. They care about the future of the city and making sure that their businesses and the community aren't affected by incoming businesses."

Bo let out a soft snort, "Well that sounds like the biggest pile shit I've ever heard."

Kenzi rolled her eyes and remarked, "It's a legitimate concern Bo considering the way big businesses, such as yours, can alter the way a city functions."

Bo looked at her long-time assistant and retorted, "Be that as it may, this committee better not fuck up my chance in establishing my company here." She picked up the glass of juice that was next to her plate and took a sip from it before stating, "This city is an excellent location for my East coast operations and I won't stop pushing until there is a DTV base here."

Kenzi got up and commented, "Yes I'm well aware that of what could happen when you don't get your way."

Bo glared at the young woman and asked, "And what does that mean Kenzi?"

Kenzi flashed her a smile then rebuffed, "Nothing Bo I just know how persistent you are."

The suspicious look remained on her face as she watched her young assistant walk out of the penthouse suite. Bo leaned back in her chair as she thought about the impending meeting with the so called do-gooders of the city.

Lauren was reading the thick packet of information on Bo Dennis and her company. The report consisted of Bo's history and how she started the company which Lauren found to be an interesting read. The way the business had started was a peculiar one and it almost seemed to line up with Lauren's agenda except for the fact that the current version of Dennis Technologic was clean through and through. No federal issues. No fines or complaints. No lawsuits. Nothing. And Lauren had two guesses as to why that was. Either Bo was eliminating any problem that crossed her company's path or Dennis Technologic Ventures was a company that was as honest as they came and she knew the latter wasn't possible. Lauren had read enough and she had learned enough about Bo and her company. She opened the bottom drawer of her desk and placed the folder in it then locked it before she got on the phone. She made a quick call to a contact that had connections in Washington DC and requested that they do some digging for her on Bo and her company. She knew that there was dirt somewhere and Lauren was determined to find it.

Lauren began to look at the reports on research that she was conducting so she could determine which projects would be going to other research facilities and which ones would be formally terminated. It wasn't something that she wanted to do but if she wanted to get rid of Dyson she was going to have to back down from several of her projects. Lauren dropped the piece of paper that had data on her stem cell research when she heard commotion outside of her office. Lauren let out an aggravated sigh. She hated to be disturbed while she was working. Then the reason for the racket barged into her office. Dyson burst through the door wielding a gun and his eyes had a lethal look in them. Kay followed him, the fear was apparent on her face, then Mitch pushed passed her sporting a bloody nose and after him Hale entered the office. Lauren stepped from behind her desk and walked over to Kay who was gawking at Dyson. Lauren, using a gentle touch, cupped Kay's face then turned her head so she was looking into Lauren's eyes, "Kay go back to your desk."

The young woman stammered, "B-B-B-"

"Do as I say Kay. Please." Lauren told her in a stern voice which caused Kay to nod her head. She looked around the office one last time before she left it. When the door to her office closed Lauren turned and looked at Dyson, "I've told you several times to never come here. I've worked too hard to make this facility legitimate."

Dyson pointed the barrel of the gun at her face and threatened, "If you want to live to see the end of today give me my fucking product."

Lauren held his menacing gaze then she smirked, "That won't be possible. Also get that gun out of my face or I'll have Mitch put a bullet in your head."

Dyson let out a harsh laugh then told her, "Mitch won't do shit. He's weak. Like your father was weak. So give me my shit Lauren."

Lauren gritted her teeth. No one talked shit about her father. Her father might have been a mobster but he was an intelligent man who knew how to run the organisation but because he didn't have the last name Thornwood he was deemed another lackey. Lauren balled her hand into a fist then slammed it into the right side of Dyson's head. He stumbled a bit but it wasn't enough to knock him on his ass. Dyson was holding on to the side of his as he cocked the gun and pointed it at Lauren, "Fuck you."

Lauren stood there with a challenging look in her eyes and waited for him to pull the trigger but it never came. Mitch had pulled out his switchblade and had stabbed Dyson in the gut. As he cleaned off the blade he told Hale, "Get him out of here Hale and take him take to county."

Hale exclaimed, "We're in a fucking hospital."

Mitch clicked his tongue and told him, "Yeah but we don't treat scum here."

Lauren smirked and added, "Plus if he dies I don't want to be blamed for killing him." She looked at Mitch, "Take them out the back stairs. I have a meeting. Is John outside?" Mitch nodded and Lauren said, "Okay." She walked out of her office and as she walked by Kay's desk she ordered, "Come on Kay. We have a committee meeting to get to."

Her, John, and Kay walked to the elevator and once they were on it Kay asked, "Dr. Lewis what was that all about?"

Lauren watched the digital numbers turn as the elevator went up to the top floor of the building. She took a deep breath then told her assistant, "We treat patients and no matter how hard we work to save them we still lose them. Some of the patient's family members don't know how to express that loss in a healthy way so they do it in a dangerous manner."

"But you don't see that many patients."

Lauren shrugged and smiled, "I am the face of the facility so it comes with some danger." She glanced out the corner of her eye looking to see if Kay believed what she had said. Even though the facility had been opened with funds that had originally come from the organisation she had worked for the last five years trying to separate it from the organisation. For the most part she had been successful in doing so. The facility did ground breaking research that a number of companies supported and the doctors that practiced at the facility did innovative and groundbreaking procedures. The hospital was involved with many charity organisations as well as creating a number of international medical programs. The only way it was affiliated with the organisation was the fact that whenever a customer or member of the organisation overdosed or got shot in a bad business deal they would come to the facility and wouldn't be charged. When the elevator arrived on the fifteenth floor the three of them stepped off of the lift and John went to the reception area while Lauren and Kay walked into the conference room. Lauren looked at Kay and said, "Can you be on the lookout for Ms. Dennis? I want to have a word with the committee before she arrives."

"Yes Dr. Lewis. I'll let you know when she is here." Kay told her before she walked out of the conference room.

Lauren walked up the path to the head of the table and smiled at the eight other faces looking at her. There were three former senators, two former mayors, and three business owners. Each owed their success to the Thornwood organisation and paid the organisation a pretty penny for its loyalty and protection. Lauren stood there and stated, "I'm going to be taking control of the organisation."

Sherri Appleton, a senator who had won several elections thanks to the organisation, said, "Dyson is in charge of the organisation."

Lauren gave her a pointed look and countered, "He is a common thug. And if you would like for a common thug to continue to run an organisation that has been responsible for several avenues of change that have occurred in the city then I will keep quiet and say not a damn word as you all get burned."

"Avenues of change? Yes the organisation has done things that have improved the city but you are forgetting that the Thornwood organisation also has done more harm than good?" Donald Barstow, a former mayor of the city argued before continuing his rant, "From selling drugs to street crime to extortion of city officials this organisation has tarnished the reputation of this city." He got up and looked around the table, "And if we're smart we'd do well to stay out of this coup that you're planning. Even when your father and Hugo were fighting Vincent would never try to take over the organisation."

Lauren eased herself into the chair that was behind her and remarked, "You're right Don. But Hugo wasn't a childish idiot who has no vision for this organisation." She held up a finger as she pointed out, "Also Don even when my father and Hugo were fighting Hugo always supported my father's vision for the organisation." The room was quiet and tense then Lauren asked, "Does anyone feel the same as Don?" No one said anything and Lauren smiled, "Good. Don you would leave please."

The man gawked at her then scoffed, "Lauren just because I have a differen-"

"No Don you don't have a difference of opinion. You are a liability and with what I have planned I can't afford liabilities." She pinned him down with an intense stare, "Now leave."

He looked around at the others seated at the table before making a hasty exit. Lauren goat a determined look on her face as she told the others, "I have the same vision as my father and what I have planned isn't a coup it is survival." She looked at the individuals seated around the table, "And Dyson being in charge is not survival. It is a sure way for the organisation to fail and each of us in a cosy eight by ten."

Everyone in the room got an uncomfortable look on their face which was exactly the thing Lauren wanted. She needed to instil some fear in order for her plan to work. There was a knock on the door then Kay came in saying, "Ms. Dennis is here along with her lawyers."

Lauren did her best to suppress the grin that wanted to break out on her face but she couldn't. "Thank you Kay." Lauren tried not to appear anxious as she waited for Kay to show Bo and her lawyers into the conference room. Bo walked into the conference room and she was already annoyed by the fact that she had been told to wait. But her annoyance paled in comparison to astonishment she felt when she saw Lauren at the head of the table with a wide smile on her face. Bo was confused and she was unable to figure out why a stripper would be heading a committee that had influence over city hall. Lauren walked over to Bo with her hand extended, "Ms. Dennis it is a pleasure to meet you. I've done a tremendous amount of research on your company and I really think it would be an excellent fit for the city."

As they shook hands Bo continued to look at Lauren with a wide-eyed gaze as her mind tried to make sense of everything. Lauren had a satisfied smile on her face as she saw the confusion on Bo's face. The woman didn't know what to make of her being at this meeting. Lauren went to go pull her hand back but Bo tightened the hold that she had on it and demanded in a low voice, "What the fuck is?"

Lauren jerked her hand out of Bo's grasp then responded, "This is the city's Wellness and Growth committee. We determine if a business is a good fit for the city and its residents and make sure they don't try to destroy small business owners."

Bo scoffed and retorted, "That is such bullshit if I ever heard it. What the fuck are you doing here Lauren?"

Lauren turned and walked back to the head of the table and when she reached her seat she gave Bo a pointed look, "Ms. Dennis if you don't compose yourself in a professional manner then I will have to dismiss this meeting and any attempts you make at trying to establish your business in our city will be shutdown."

Bo glared at Lauren. She didn't know who this woman was and she couldn't help but to think that this whole thing was a setup. Bo was shooting an angry stare at Lauren and she found it hilarious but at the current moment it was undermining her authority. She looked around the table then smiled, "If everyone could excuse Ms. Dennis and I..." Lauren waited for the committee members and Bo's lawyers to file out of the room and when they were alone room she smirked, "I hope no damage was caused by last night."

Bo charged over to where Lauren was standing then slammed her hand down on the wooden conference table and growled, "What the fuck are you doing here Lauren and don't feed me any bull shit." Lauren studied Bo's face. The rage that consumed her was written on her face and Lauren found her challenging and captivating all at once. She began to mentally berate herself for leaving Bo's suite last night. The desire to have the woman touch her was a powerful urge and Lauren almost wanted to tell Bo that she could have her way with her. Lauren's lust driven thoughts were broken when Bo shouted, "Answer me Lauren."

Lauren tilted her head to the right a little then told her, "You might want to lower your voice or I'll make good on my threat in making sure that your company can't base itself in this city." She grinned, "Then I'll tell others about the unprofessional Bo Dennis and how she bullied the founder of a medical and research facility that does so much good for the community and the country."

The urge to strangle to woman was almost as great as Bo's need to fuck her senseless. Bo was struggling to figure out how the woman in front of her, who was wearing a conservative skirt suit, was the same woman who came to her suite the previous evening but she wasn't able to. The only thing she could come up with was the fact that Lauren had a mental instability but even that sounded wrong. Lauren eyes were clear and sharp just like they had been last night and that told Bo that she knew exactly what she was doing. The more frustrated she became the more hostile she got. Knowing that Lauren had some sort of power or authority that would determine if her company would be based in the city only added to her ire towards the woman. "That doesn't tell me a damn thing Lauren. Quit talking in circles."

Lauren walked over to the small cart that had a pitcher of water on it and poured herself a glass before taking a long sip from it. After setting the glass down on the cart she commented, "Dr. Lewis. And that's how you will address me until you can find your professional decorum Bo. Also I've told you everything you need to know." She pinned Bo down with questioning look, "Now will we be having this meeting or can I let my committee know that you are no longer interested in speaking with us?" She paused then smirked, "I hope you have learned from last night's mistake."

Bo finally realised that woman wasn't going to give her any answers and determined that she was going to have to do her own digging on Lauren Lewis. If that was even her actual name. The woman had been feeding her lies ever since they first met and she was going to get to the bottom of them. Bo gave Lauren an imperceptible nod and Lauren raised an eyebrow but she didn't question it. That was something that she would take care of when she had time. Lauren went over to the door of the conference room then told the others that they were ready to start the meeting.

The meeting had been a short one and it had ended with Lauren making no promises to Bo and her lawyers. Bo had spent most of the meeting looking at Lauren with an intense gaze which Lauren had ignored but was fully aware of. She was now in her office with Mitch and John and the three of them were coordinating the first hit that they were going to make against Dyson. "Dyson was released according to my sources down at county. He left on his own accord. And according to a few guys down at the club he is pissed about me stabbing him and you stealing his product." Mitch told Lauren as she paced her office.

Lauren stopped at the window and looked down at the activity on the street as she chuckled, "Good. I want him angry because the angrier he is the stupider he will become." She turned and looked at Mitch, "I want the product on the street tonight and I want everything sold. I want to prove to all interested parties that I can lead the organisation and turn a profit. Call sellers that have reliable networks and let them know that if they do agree to sell then they now work for me." She walked back over to her desk and sat behind it as she stated, "I want to send a message to Dyson that I am serious about taking over the organisation."

Mitch laughed and pointed out, "I think a knife to the gut was enough."

Lauren shook her head no and told him, "No that was payback for him putting his hands on me and for him coming into the facility and threatening me with a gun." She smirked, "This message has got to be big one. It needs to scare him as well as piss him off and I have the perfect plan." Lauren leaned over her desk and told the two men about the plan that was going to bring about the response that she was looking for.

The two TVs in Bo's suite were airing two different finance channels as she worked. At the moment she was looking at several projects as well as going over multiple reports about her growing multinational corporation but she was making no progress. In fact she had been reading the same report about data security for the last fifteen minutes and hadn't absorbed any of it. She was still thinking about Lauren and the meeting that had gone on earlier. Bo and her team of lawyers had left the meeting feeling uncertain about the committee's influence over the zoning commission yet at the same time her lawyers seemed hopeful. Bo knew that her uncertainty came from the fact that the woman who was the head of the committee had lied to her about who she was. After the meeting Bo had done a basic search on Lauren Lewis and to her surprise all she was able to find was a number of medical breakthroughs that she was attached to along with the charity work that her medical facility did. The only piece of personal information that had shown up in her search was the death of Lauren's father, Vincent Lewis, who had died four years ago and how the medical facility had changed its name after it. The fact that she hadn't been able to find much else added to Bo's aggravation. She tossed the report that she was failing to read onto the couch then got up. Bo walked up the two stairs that lead up to the main part of the living room then headed over to the bar. Her mind flashed back to the brief encounter that had occurred between her and Lauren the previous night and as her body responded to the memory she gripped the glass tumbler in her hand tighter. In an attempt to clear her mind of the sexual memory Bo took a deep breath through her nose then she poured herself a drink. She walked back into the sitting area then got on the phone. Bo dialled a number and once the line was answered she said, "I need you to do something."

"I'm not doing anything for you. I told you last time that I was ending my association with you and your company Bo." The woman told her in a tone that left no room for argument.

Bo laughed and remarked, "I'm certain you'll change you stance on that when your expired visa shows up on immigration's radar but I'm certain that will be overshadowed by the amount of money that you will come to owe the government all of a sudden."

Ivy scoffed and warned, "If you pull that shit on me Bo I'll bring up your own dirt and I know you have shit ton of it despite what you think."

Bo knew that the threat was a serious one but she still challenged the woman, "Like I would let you do something like that." Knowing that she would have to take drastic measures Bo stated in a lethal tone, "Okay Ivy if that isn't enough to make you do what I'm about to request then let me ask you a few questions." She paused for a moment before asking, "Do you like living? How about your parents? Do they enjoy the nice little house that you purchased for them out in the country? What about your brother who will be graduating at the top of his class in May?

"Leave them out of this Bo." Ivy said her voice rising in response to Bo's threat.

Bo got a sadistic smile on her face, "I will if you do me this favour."

There was a moment of silence that occurred between them and Bo allowed it to happen. Forcing someone to contemplate their self-worth over the love that they had for their family was an unusual situation and wasn't one that people faced every day. Ivy sighed in her ear, "What do you want Bo?"

"Smart girl." Bo said with a grin on her face. She propped her feet up on the coffee table that was in front of her and said, "Dr. Lauren Elizabeth Lewis. Graduate of Stanford University. She graduated at the top of the class and with honours. Started medical school while she was in her second year of college. So not only did she graduate medical school with honours and a PhD she also graduated early. Lauren studied at a very prestigious residency program then came home and opened up a medical and research facility. A year after opening the facility her father died from a stroke which was a fatal complication from his atherosclerosis." Bo had found out a significant amount of information on Lauren but it was all superficial and didn't explain why she was a stripper. "I want you to find out everything you can about Dr. Lewis and her family. You can send it to me via the secure server and I will send you the information to access it."

Ivy was reluctant to agree but she did then Bo disconnected the call. She took a big drink of the scotch that was floating in the glass that was in her hand. Ivy had a precise way of gaining access to secure systems and stealing the information that was stored on them without getting caught. The woman had quit being a hacker a long time ago and now she designed websites but Bo continued to employ her for jobs that required a certain finesse and stealth that the other hackers she employed couldn't achieve. Bo leant forward and typed up a quick e-mail on her personal server then sent it to Ivy. In a few minutes she had a video conference with the home office about the acquisition of a floundering cloud service that was located in Beijing. Bo believed that the acquisition of the company would provide her business an opportunity to provide secured, anonymous cloud storage to that part of the world. Her corporation didn't encourage hacking or the theft of data but it did have its benefits when needed especially when she had to research an obstacle that was in her way. And it wasn't to say that her business engaged in illegal activity often because there were a number of business ventures that were legitimate such as the the production of new technology or offering various new technology to other industries that were profitable on their own. She had discovered that the storage of data was beneficial in its own right. Bo had learned early on that data was the number one bargaining chip in business deals. After learning this she had hired several hackers who would hack into the storage servers and they would pass along pertinent information which was stored on a secured server. Bo got up with her laptop and went over to the desk that was over by the windows then she sat down in the chair before opening up her conference software. She let a sigh as the software loaded. She was expecting the meeting to be a long one.

Hale noticed that Dyson was struggling to keep up his authoritative appearance in front of the people who worked for him. He had advised Dyson not to call the meeting because he wasn't up to par but Dyson called the meeting anyway because Lauren had stolen his product and he wanted it back. He also wanted to know what his cousin was up to. Hale watched as Dyson braced his hands on top of the desk that was in front of him. He knew the other man was in pain but Dyson had left the hospital against doctor's orders because he was pissed. Dyson had been a lucky man because the wound that he received could have been a lot worse. "Hale I want you contact the cartels that we deal with in Bolivia and see if we can get another shipment for this week. If we don't then we're going to be shit for money."

Well if you didn't blow every dollar we earned on hookers we'd have some fucking money. "Sure thing Dy." Hale answered despite what he actually thought. Dyson had always been an arrogant prick because his father was the head of the Thornwood organisation but it only became worse when he gained actual control of it. Hale was aware of the rumours that still floated around the city and between members of the organisation about Dyson being responsible for Hugo's death. And they were all true. Dyson had had his father killed when it became apparent to him that the man had no intentions of putting him in charge. Then when Hugo began to invest more of his time in Lauren and her medical facility Dyson's jealousy grew to a boiling point which provoked him to plan his father's murder. The thing to surprise Hale the most was the amount of thought and planning Dyson had put into his father's murder. Instead of using the facility that Lauren ran Hugo had been taken to County where he received less than stellar care and died from the injuries that he had sustained. Dyson then had the medical examiner falsify the death certificate citing that the cause of death was a massive heart attack. The one thing that Dyson hadn't planned on was Lauren. Lauren was the thorn in his side that he couldn't get rid of and she undermined him at every possible turn. Even though most of her involvement had been for the best especially when the government had come breathing down the Dyson's neck about a business which was run by the organisation. Lauren had been able to clear that up with little effort. Hale understood what Lauren was doing and he could appreciate her for it but he knew that her actions against Dyson would lead to a feud that the city had never seen before. Even when Hugo and Vincent were fighting they would eventually make-up and it would never lead to something of this magnitude so it worried Hale about what the outcome would be. He had a feeling that Lauren would kill Dyson before all was said and done and she would do it with a satisfied smile on her face while the smoke drifted up from the barrel of the gun.

Dyson adjourned the meeting and the several people gathered began to leave his office. Hale walked over to Dyson's desk and waited until the room was cleared before asking, "Do you think it's necessary to put this much force out there for Lauren? She's just pissed at what you did to her last night."

Dyson scoffed as he glared at him, "I didn't do shit to her and it's not like she's crying about me ripping her doll's arms off. She fucking took my supply Hale then that fucker Mitch stabbed me." He grimaced and held onto his before finishing, "So to answer your question yes this type of force is necessary and she's lucky I don't have her killed on the spot."

Hale let out an irritated breath and countered, "She's your family Dyson."

"She stopped being my family when she dicked me over so now she's competition." Dyson shouted before he sat down in his office chair. He took a drink from the glass that was sitting on his desk then ordered, "Go get in touch with the Velez cartel and find out what happened at last night's drop." Dyson got a contemplative look on his face, "The brothers wouldn't have just given her the product. I need to know what she said or offered because I'm certain it was something big but I just don't know what. She has nothing except the facility."

Dyson stopped talking as thought about what Lauren could have offered and Hale stood there in silence so he could let him think. Hale already knew that the brothers wouldn't say anything to him because if Lauren had offered them something better then they were probably considering it. Also Lauren was more personable than Dyson so that worked in her favour along with her intelligence. Dyson leaned forward in his chair and began to do something on his computer, "Go Hale and I want you call me as soon as you find out something."

"Will do Dy." He paused for a second then asked, "Do you need this taken care of right away or do I have tim-"

"No you can't go fuck your side piece." He got up and walked over to Hale then pressed his finger hard into his temple, "For once think with your actual brain. If I don't hear back from you within the hour then I'll send someone to put a bullet in your head along with that whore that you're screwing." He shoved Hale, "Now go."

Hale glowered at Dyson then he adjusted his leather coat before turning around to walk out of the office. He wasn't one to be pushed around and if this were anyone else he would have broken their jaw. But this was Dyson and they had been best friend since they were kids which had provided him with benefits that others who worked in the organisation didn't get. He got an office, a sweet house, and a nice monthly salary that he didn't know what to do with. So he didn't bitch or complain nor did he bad mouth Dyson and if someone in his presence did he'd put them in their place. It was a simple trade off that he endured for his life of luxury. Hale walked out of the club and looked around. It was mid-afternoon and the city was booming with hustle and bustle but there was a dreary presence that loomed over it. Hale felt a chill run down his spine and he tried to shake it off but the sense of foreboding remained. He had a feeling that this was the beginning of bad things to come. That dark thought was the last thing to run through his mind as he took his first step to walk down the street.

John was a grunt. A nobody. A lackey who was still on the bottom of the totem pole. So when Mitch gave him a call and asked him if he wanted to earn some big points within the organisation he jumped at the opportunity. John thought it was a job involving the boss when the two of them had arrived at the posh apartment building last night but when he saw Lauren walk into the lobby he had been surprised. Even though he had no idea of what was going on he went along with everything. It wasn't until last night's meetings did he realise that something big was about to happen and when Lauren went over her plan earlier he knew that he was now a part of something bigger. That something bigger now had him on top of a roof with a twenty-two calibre rifle that had a sniper scope. Lauren had told him that he wouldn't see a cell and that if the task was completed successfully then he would be rewarded with a territory of his choosing. John looked through the scope of the gun which was aimed at its appropriate target. He was going to choose the territory by the harbour. He liked being by the water and hoped to get one of the lofts that were over there. John looked through the scope again and his target had just stepped out of the club. He smirked to himself before squeezing the trigger then as he pulled it back he decided that he was going to ask for a loft.

Sorry it took so long to get this chapter up. I was visiting family this past weekend. Updates should be steady after this one. Also Every Action sequel is coming I know I said this past Monday but things got away from me. Thanks for reading and please review.